Military Aircraft.

Aircraft played an important role in World War II, with the military using them for purposes such as long-range bombing missions, protection of land and sea convoys, diversion of enemy fire, provision of cover for ground and naval assaults, and transportation of troops, munitions, and supplies. The wartime needs of the military spurred advancements in aviation. By the late 1930s improvements had taken propeller aircraft with piston engines to their farthest limits of speed and power, and wartime aeronautic research was directed toward solving the aerodynamic problems of developing jet aircraft. Innovations in aviation during the war included not only jet-propelled aircraft but also the helicopter, the winged pilotless missile, and the long-range rocket. NACA. Responsibility for the development of military aviation rested with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which served both the army and the navy. The committee, led by...